


Third Eye Opening: Part 2

by Kainlarsen



Category: Doki Doki Literature Club! (Visual Novel)
Genre: Amnesia, Anxiety Disorder, Body Dysphoria, Cardiophilia, Dreams and Nightmares, Dreams vs. Reality, Emotionally Repressed, Heartbeat Kink, Mystery, Other, Psychological Horror, Supernatural Elements, Wet Dream
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-02
Updated: 2020-01-12
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:20:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22086280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kainlarsen/pseuds/Kainlarsen
Summary: Something is wrong in Yuri's dreams. She seeks a way to understand them...
Relationships: Protagonist/Yuri (Doki Doki Literature Club!)
Kudos: 23





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I love the concept of Doki Doki Literature Club, as well as the expanded ideas from the fan community that's built up around it. My favourite character has always been Yuri, since she's the one I relate to most, and I wanted to create a story around her that would explore the kind of world she might see; How she struggles with her nature, being afraid to express herself, and how that all might create some darker personality she tries to keep hidden. I've been influenced by ideas from stories and films such as 'Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde', 'Carrie' and 'Fight Club', I wanted to look at how the stress and strain of trying to repress yourself to conform to others can become something dangerous and harmful.
> 
> Adding to that, I want to explore the notion of reality, and how the Dokis' world has grown beyond the confines of simple code and script, becoming this gestalt idea of who they could be, and how they might go about their lives, yet it's still a fluid and tenuous universe. If they were to become fully aware of how incomplete it is, how would that feel? Yuri's point of view regarding that is something I hope to explore in this story. I hope you enjoy.
> 
> I may edit this chapter and others, should I think of ways to improve the quality, so please check back every once in a while and remember to ask questions and leave feedback if you have anything constructive you wish to suggest. Thank you so much for your views. :)

Third Eye Opening: Part 2

Chapter 1: Insomniac

Nobody ever knew how little Yuri actually slept at night.

Sleep, for her, was when she was most vulnerable.

By this, she meant to her mind entire; all its potential, the thoughts and feelings she struggled to process and structure in her waking hours, and all its darkness, the manifestation of everything she was conditioned to fear and despise about herself...

The 'voice' became something more corporeal in her dreams; A haptic shadow that grew long across her being, looming, predatory. Always she would awake with a jolt, sweating, heart pounding, but the details already fading from her mind, leaving only scraps. It had bothered her for many years, but these days it seemed stronger, and ever since she had begun to love him, and herself. It seemed a part of her even as it sought to establish its own will. Though she seemed to be keeping it in check during the day, it would still slither and squirm in her mind... turning the tables at night...

Morning came again, and Yuri slowly opened her reddened eyes with the chirping of her alarm clock. She hadn't been properly asleep for some time, her mind trying to imagine sleep and him, and not the residual dread of what kept her in the gloom of insomnia. The soft glow of sunlight filtering through lace curtains did little to brighten her spirits, feeling that gritty weariness in her head and limbs, but she had to get up or she'd be late. With a wince of effort, she peeled herself from her pillow and sat up, rubbing her eyes. This reorientation always felt like she was entering her own physical form again, wearing it like a costume. Slowly, she became aware of her skin feeling sticky as she rubbed her stiff neck and shoulders, loosening the straps of the satin nightdress that clung to her. The sensation of it shifting against her skin was a gentle caress, drawing her awareness to how sensitive her body felt, and to the dampness further down...

Reddening at the thought, she felt between her thighs to confirm, eyes widening;

_...What??_

Completely taken aback by this, her mind raced to recall what things had she could have possibly dreamed. She was no fool, she knew what this was, but how could nightmares elicit this reaction from her? She only recalled fear and dread... and ghosts of... _something_... why was this happening? Curiosity began to outgrow the fear, but this was no time to space out over such things.

_I-I can't be feeling like this right now... I have to get ready for classes!_

Yuri hurried to the bathroom, slipping off her nightdress and panties, and stepped into the shower, deciding a cold one might be best to try and clear her head of these thoughts. The temperature certainly was sobering, but the pressure of the stream felt more pleasurable in places than she wished. She did her best to ignore the sensation and quickly scrub herself clean. Stepping out to dry herself, she paused at the mirror, staring back at this sometimes-stranger; Her upbringing hadn't only made her ashamed of herself mentally, hers was a strict family with taciturn parents who instilled in her the notion that 'pride goeth before a fall', so seeing her curves, and her scars, she still felt conflicted about her body, seeing it as a curse more than a blessing. She knew that her friends didn't see it that way, though... Sho didn't see her that way...

Yuri shook her head clear, trying to keep focused and finish her morning routine. As self-conscious as she still was, she could still acknowledge that she was considered beautiful, and tried her best to look presentable in her own eyes. Once dressed, she prepared a light lunchbox, had a little tea and toast before venturing upstairs again to open her collection drawer. It had become a ritual, to gaze on each of them before leaving the house. She wondered if they could see her in return, the patterns on their handles surrogate eyes. She reached out and picked one, an 'art-nouveau' handle of metallic blue with gold trim and Egyptian-style eye patterns; Eyes felt like something to meditate on today. She didn't plan on using it, but she felt more comfortable having one with her.

_To ward off harm..._

With that, she grabbed her bag and left the house.

It was a beautiful morning at least, but she was greatly troubled by the whole situation. As she walked to school, she resolved to get to the bottom of this; What were these dreams? How could she understand them? It wasn't in her nature to speak to just anyone about them, the wrong ears listening would only serve to ostracise her further in the school. She couldn't even be sure that talking to a doctor again would do any good, as they just put it down to stress from studies and rattle off the usual about diet and prescribe some pills or suggest some herbal treatment. She had already tried these, she was still careful about diet, taking supplements to compensate for the mostly austere nature of her food. Yuri's life was one of control, even in such simple things as sustenance. " _One must always be in control of themselves, dear_ "; her parents' words from years ago echoed in her ears still. They were always so serious and proper, and she was always earning their disapproval when she was a child. Going to church on Sundays and taking her with them, she never believed in a god, but the rules and commandments still weighed on her soul. She never had any siblings, any cousins of her own age to relate to... the club was perhaps the first place she truly felt were a proper family to her. If anyone could help her understand this, they could.


	2. Amnesiac

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuri tries to find out more about her sleep problems, amid intrusive thoughts and a growing sense that things in the waking world aren't so safe either...

The school day was going about as well as Yuri could expect, fatigue setting in early from her lack of sleep again. She found it difficult to concentrate on classes, but performed adequately enough. The occasional side-glances from other students as she travelled the hallways to each class were right on cue. Some of them were the standard disdainful acknowledgements from the popular cliques, as well as some leering of a more unwholesome nature... more than a few of those were from other girls; the delinquent ones who perhaps wondered if she might look their way. Perhaps they, too, had once been 'shrinking violets', who eventually caved to peer pressure and anger. If so, did they see something of her in themselves or vice-versa? Did they miss it? Maybe they resented that she stayed where she was, whereas they gave up being themselves to survive. So used to being seen as timid and weird, she wondered if she was really that desirable? Her face felt hot at the thought. Although she didn't think she was that way inclined, it was flattering. She felt foolish even entertaining it, not that she would ever be unfaithful to Sho, but it seemed logical that she might be some girl's type, though why still escaped her. Besides, she was infinitely grateful she had someone wonderful who loved her for who she was... but these thoughts seemed a little too much to deal with right now.

_"Focus, Yuri. Get it together."_

_*...But you do want this, don't you?*_

The 'voice' again...

_"Be silent!"_ She ordered it.

She had been more assertive with it since that afternoon, understanding that she had value, a choice. Conversely however, it had begun to feel like it was pushing back.

It slunk off for now, leaving the impression of a smile, and that it would see her later.

The smile reminded her of someone... but so indistinct, the weakest memory...

She sighed, weary at the inevitability of that meeting, and continued on with the already stressful day.

At lunch break, Yuri ate her small meal somewhere quiet, as always, and pondered what she should do for research. She visited the school library, searching for information online about dreams and their associated meanings, not that she had much to base her initial digging on. She registered with a message board under a user name, 'Eyeofmarkov3', to find out if anyone else had experienced these problems, but it would be a while before anyone replied. She would check for messages when she was home.

Leaving the library, she made her way back down the hallway. It was always so quiet here, almost as if nobody else even knew about it. Now that she considered it, she had been the only student there. Even the staff at the desk seemed to blend in. Were they even there? Only a vague idea of the man and woman sitting... Maybe she was spacing out again, it certainly wouldn't be the first time. Something just didn't feel 'normal' about today though, it frightened her. She made haste to be away from there and the feeling of fuzziness it brought. Down the corridor as it lengthened ahead of her quickening pace, stretching out indefinitely before her eyes as her walk turned into a run and the echo of her footsteps grew as loud as the drum of her heartbeat in her ears, and the angle of the hall tilted and twisted and the light from the windows dimmed to an unnatural gloom that felt like it would swallow her whole if she didn't stop right now-

_"Yuri, FOCUS!!"_

Skidding to a halt, she desperately tried to regain clarity, to stop the spinning of the world and the hyperventilation that threatened to make her collapse. She fumbled in her blazer pocket for the knife she took today, looking at the passive gaze of eye of the handle, meditating on it, breathing through her nose from her belly...

_"_ I'm...i-in...control...I...am in... control..."

_"Eye... am in control."_ She managed a weak smile at the silliness of that.

Her breathing steadied, her pulse slowed, the light outside returned to normal. The weight of dread persisted, though; Its itch in the back of her skull, its grip on her heart, making it tired. She was so tired...

Somewhere, in the back of her mind, was the distinct feeling of her unwelcome lodger giggling.

Yuri slumped against the wall, tears in her eyes. This all felt like something both new and old, and she really didn't know what it all meant. Panic attacks were something she'd experienced for many years, yet she knew ways to deal with them; This was something completely different. Sliding down onto the floor of the hallway, she tried to gather her thoughts.

_"Coping strategies..."_

There was _that_ one, of course, but she promised never to rely on it again, even though it was so hard sometimes. Why hadn't she told the others about it, yet? Her rational mind knew that it was the right thing to do, and yet every chance to do so seemed to just slip by as if conveniently forgotten. Always she would feel as if she had told them, yet never was there any resolution or acceptance. Perhaps they suspected, but didn't know if it was right to ask. She laughed bitterly at the twisted humour of it all; No matter how close people might be, they still keep secrets and still fear reaching out. It all felt like some awful television drama; the obvious solutions to problems inexplicably dismissed by the characters in order to drag the story out...

That had to change.

Reaching for her backpack, Yuri took a pen and tore a page from her notebook, scribbling something important down and tucking it between the pages of her copy of 'Portrait of Markov'. Towards the beginning seemed right, but why? She would surely be further along in the book by now, right after they-

_"...After they what?"_

Why couldn't she remember? It was her favourite book, she had read it dozens of times.

...Hadn't she??

She looked at the ornate, baleful eye emblazoned on the leather-bound cover, suddenly realising there was no title printed, only the eye. She blinked.

It blinked back.

She cried out in fear, throwing the book away from her. It crashed against the adjacent wall, landing in a heap, but the cover was still facing her. It _saw_ her.

Yuri's surroundings grew very dark again.

_"N-no..."_

The eye glowered with a reddish light... it _spoke_.

_* **Yuri...** *_

She didn't know that name. Was it her name? She couldn't remember.

_* **Yuri...** *_

"...I-I'm...y-Yuri?"

_* **Yuriiii...** *_

All she could do was stammer the name again as she cowered in terror.

"...y-y-yuri..."

"Miss Yuri!"

The shout woke her with a start.

"Ah!! W-what??"

She was still at the computer desk in the library. The man from the reception stood there, looking concerned for her.

"Miss Yuri, you dozed off for a few minutes. Didn't look like a pleasant one... Are you alright?"

Still in a daze, she tried to regain her composure, blinking to clear her eyes, straightening her dishevelled hair with trembling hands.

"Oh, um... yes. Yes I'm f-fine, thank you sir, ma'am"

Neither he nor the female librarian approaching behind him seemed very convinced.

"You look rather pale, dear..." The woman noted. "Perhaps you should go home early, I'll be happy to vouch for you-"

"N-no, th-thank you..." Yuri blurted, red-faced. "It's just... been a busy day, that's all. I'll be alright." She gathered her belongings with less than her usual grace, bowed in apology to her confused hosts and made a hasty departure from the library. Already, the dream felt hazy, but she could at least remember the eye clearly. Although it filled her with foreboding, she took the book from her backpack to check it; It was perfectly inert, as it should be. Yuri sighed in what passed for relief, but still nothing felt "alright". The lingering uncertainty of whether the dream was just that nagged at her, but it had to be. She was over-thinking again. She really didn't know how much more strangeness she could deal with today.

_"Almost over... then I can talk to them."_

She checked her watch, it was time for afternoon classes.

The remainder of the day was stained with the unease of what she had experienced, dragging on into the final class. Even with the top windows open, the classroom was stuffy from the sunlight streaming in, the dust motes making the air seem even thicker and the scribbling of pens grating on her ears. Her anxiety was skyrocketing; she could feel it in the shortness of her breath and the reverberation of her thudding heart in her stomach and throat, and her forearms itched in anticipation of what she normally resorted to. She wanted so badly to sneak away or make an excuse so she could find a hiding place to give in to the habit, but she resisted. Loosening her tie and collar, trying to tune out the way the pounding made her feel, so close to how Sho made her feel all the times since. Finally feeling the breeze, cool and soft, things came back into focus.

The minute hand, monstrously slow, finally clicked into place, and the bell rang.

Yuri could not get up from her desk fast enough. She didn't care about the looks from her classmates as she left the room, making her way up the stairwells and through the hall to the clubroom as quickly as she could without tripping over herself. Opening the door, she finally stepped into her place of peace, to a chorus of familiar voices greeting her; Monika, Natsuki, Sayori...

"Good afternoon, Yuri!" said Monika.

"Yurii! Beamed Sayori

Nat followed; "Hey, s'up?"

All of that nastiness of the day melted away instantly. "Hello again, everybody."

It seemed the newcomers weren't able to make it today. Perhaps they would be here next time. Strange that she couldn't recall their faces or names at this moment...

As she approached her desk, the door opened.

"Yuri, hi!" The one voice Yuri wanted to hear most of all. Turning to look, her soul grew wings upon seeing...

"Sho..."

Everything prior to the club just melted away, all the fear and worry she had just seemed so trivial now. There was a strange feeling she was going to say something, but it had gone. She was with her friends now, that was all that mattered.

Upon everyone settling down, Monika stood at the front of the room and smiled warmly as she addressed them all;

"Hi again, everyone. Welcome to the Literature Club!"

...That was all that mattered.


End file.
